The present invention relates generally to polishing tools.
More particularly, it relates to tools for finish polishing of optical materials, technical glass, television screens, semiconductors, ceramics, etc.
Finish polishing tools of the above mentioned general type are known in the art. A finish polishing tool in order to be efficient for finish polishing of optical materials must reduce surface roughness from approximately 200 .ANG. to 40-200 .ANG. and remove the subsurface damage layer of approximately 5 .mu.m deep. In well known tools for finish polishing of optical materials, two-component room temperature curing epoxy materials are used (resin and hardener) for binding polishing particles of CeO.sub.2. In mass production of such finish polishing tools from epoxies there are problems related to reproducability and sizes of the tools. Although a low viscosity epoxy material can be doped with 75 weight percent of CeO.sub.2, the doping with more than 80% of CeO.sub.2 changes mechanical properties of the tool. The tool becomes very fragile, it has very low elasticity, it does not exhibit good flexibility, and has low workability. Such tools are difficult to manufacture with sizes more than 2-4 inch in diameter. The abrasive particles are also poorly mixed with the short life epoxy binder, the tool is insufficiently shaped in the process of curing, it has short service life.